Indicator for vehicles.



L. M. TINGLBY.

INDIUATDR FOR VEHIGLES.

APPLIUATIDN FILED umso, lama.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908 UNTED' STATES 'PATENT .onmen- LLOYD M. TINGLEY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR O F ONE-THIRD 'IO ."AMUEL GEE AND ONE-THIRD T0 CRARLES A. BENNETT, BOTH OF PROVIDENCE, RH() DE lf? LAN i).

INDICATOR ron vEmcLns.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application mea muy so; 190s. sean No. nasca..

the city of Pawtucket, iii-the county of Providence end State of Rhode Island,V have invented certain new and useful improvements in Indicators for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My vehicles and the like, and has for its object to provide a jsim le and effective device to show eiy day an adapted to also bei1luminat to distinct-1y show at night bth the licenseV number and also indicate the State in which said number is re `ste1%d,-o.r other i medium for identifying t e o wner of an automobile or carriage in case-of accident or violation of the local laws.

Another feature of my invention is that in' addition to showing the number and indicating-the State, the device is also adapted toV show a red or danger signal at night at the rear of the vehicle, which is a further re quirement of the law.

The law now rovides that an automobilist shall refristerhis cur iu each State in which he maytlie traveling, and that upon coming to theStete line he must change his number to coincide with the one under which he is registered in hat State. It is also necessary that he should indicaziin some manner the State in which' the number exhibited is registered. A simple and effective means for representing the State is that each State should be'indiefiled by a distinct and separate color..

Tocomply with all of the above requirements I have provided a simple and eli'ective device in the form of a casing or lantern to be attached preferably to the rearof an automobile or the like, and-have arranged the same in such a manner that the re tered numbers of the several States in which I- may be traveling, whichA are indicated' on backgrounds offthe requisite colors, may be carried thereinand readily made interchangeablei Forl example, under this newv l'avvleiuzhA State v v'ill` have its own distinct color,- ferr instance, Rhode Island' ma be black letterizfupon a white background', [as- 'sachusettn White letters u on ,a blue background, Corinecticittl black etters 1;. pon a red invention relates to indicators for invent-ion consists of. certain novel features an enlarged 'hackground,`and so forth audiso on for the' several States, whereby it is oulv necessary for the 'authorities to note .the color `n order t0 know that the automobile' is carrying the prrper State number.

Y he essential feature of mv device is that the diierent numbers and colored plates can .be stored in the lantern and easily changed and placed into position upon crossing the line of a State one is about to enter.

Withthcse and other objects in View, the

of construction, as will be more fully `described a nd particularly pointed out in the appended claims. n the accompanying drawings:

Figure-l-is a. perspective View of my im Aproved lantern or indicator. Fig. 2-is a. -central section thi-ou h thesame Fig. 3-is section s 10W ing the arrangement for holdlngthe several plates. 1L,Fig 4--is aV -pel'sp'ective View of the lamp, Fig. 5-is' a as held in its retaining springs. Fie. 6-is an enlarged view showing one end oione of said retaining springs. e

, Referring. to the drawings, 1 represents tern whlch may be made in any desired form or size and of any suitable material. 4'An upwardly extending portion 2 is provided ou the body of the lantern, thc .front face of translucent lass 3, or the like, adapted to display-the anger signal .it night when the 4 is provided at the top of the lamp the sumo ,being covered by a protecting cup 5.

In order to provide a simple and ellective means by' which the whleinterior of the casing may be exposed I have iliade the front side of the casing into the form of a frame (i surrounded by a deep rim 7,l in which. the glass 19* is set, said frame being hinged at 8 to one side of the bod)` portion.;V :This -frame is adapted to close over i `li` .or 'ledge 9 on said Ibody portion and be lie i-in that rotuberance 10 which serves to lock the ont frame in its closed pqsition, whentlhe end' door (hereinafter described) 1is open, rendering the whole casing both waterwsmd dust tight. The side or end door 1lis hinged at 12 on said frame 6, the opposite edge being lamps within are lighted. A vclftilating hole perspective v iew showing one of the plates the body or box portion of the lamp or lan- 1 which has an opening covered with a. red

position by engaging a slight projection!orl l provided with eye strips 13-13 Athrough which the lock pin 14' is adapted to ass to secure the same in osition. A smal peephole 15 is provide in this door through which the condition of the burning lights may observed.

An essential feature of my improved device is the. simple and effective means by which these plates may be held in their respective positions and also be readily withdrawn from said positions to be replaced with plates of other colors or other numbers., To accomplish this a guide formed of a corrugated plate 1G, having longitudinal V- shaped grooves 17 and 18, has been provided und is designed to be supported o n the lower rim 7 of the front casing to receive the' lower edges of the plates 19 and 20. At 21 is a spring having two sets of resilient fingers 22 and 23, the ends of each finger being provided with downwardly projecting lips 24 forming a- U-shaped ortion, see Fig. 6, for receiving the upper edge of the plates 19 and 20. This spring is attached by :rivets or other suitable means to the upper rim 7 of the front frame and serves to firmly retain the plates in position and prevent them from rattling. 1 j

In lorder to form a. dust-tight case the front or rotecting transparent plate of glass 19* is he d in position at its lower edge by.

means of a s ring lip 29 on the lower supporting mem r and by thesprin fingers 23-23 at its upper edge. A dup lcate set of springs 25 may be attached to the angle plate 26 at the back portion of the lantern and supportin members 27 are also arranged to receive the oweredge of the extra. plates, which are likely to come into use during the trip. Any number of spaces or supporting members `maybe arranged for storing any desired number of lates.

A lamp 28 may ave any desired number of urners, but for convenience thre sho n, one of said burners 29 being Aconsiderably elevated above the other two for the purpose of illuminating the red* or dan er signal. This lamp may be held in any esired manner but' for convenience the same is ipreferably provided with lips 30 at either en adapted to slip under corresponding spring clips (not shown) in the body ofthe lantern to hold the same `firmly in position.

In some cases it is found advisable to have the number represented on one plate which will be transparent, while the color re resenting the State may be on a'second p ate. Then by placing one back of the other, as indicated in the drawings, both may be visible through the front of the lantern.' In other cases the number may be placed2 on a plate of the requisite color m which case one plate alone will answer the purpose, 'but where a man has his same number registered in the several States, then by placing said e are.

number on a separate plate it would be only necessary to change the 4color plate as he passes from one State to another.

In the practical operation of my device when one 1s traveling in his automobile and is about to cross the line from one State into another State, where it is necessarv to change the number and color of the indicating sign, the in 14 is withdrawn from the clasps on the oor, which is then swung open on its hinge 12, and if it is desired to remove or inspect the lamps or any part of the interior of the body portion the whole' front frame may be swung open on the hinge. 8 at the opposite side thereof forming a ready access to the' whole interior. The lamp may be lighted, if lnight is coming on, and the plates changed from the back to the front of the lantern with but-a moments delay.

The device is extremely simple in construction and eiiicient in its practical operation a'nd by its use the registered number 'together with the color indicating the State may be exhibited in such a manner that it is readily discernible by day and also ada ted to show clear and distinct by night, the'liantern also com rising the combination of a separate and istinct danger signal.

This simple and eiective indicator greatly facilitates the work of the local authorities to determine at a glance the number of the vehicle and that it is registered in the State where heis traveling even though the same bg passing the observer at a very high rate o s aving thus described my invention whatl I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: t

1. An indicator of the charla @terl described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a ideada ted to receive' one ed e of a s idable in icatin plate, and a friction device provided wit guide iin ers for engaging the opposite edge of said p ate.

2.' An indicator of the character dcribed comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminatin medium, a pivoted frame'carried by sai casing, a 1de carried by said frame, an indicating piate slidably` mounted in said guide, and a ction device also carried by said frame and engaging the opposite edge of said plate.

3. An indicator of the character described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a 'guide ada ted to receive one edge of a shdable indicating late, a friction device provided with guide n ers for en aging the opposite edge of sai plate, an means located adjacent the back of said casing for storing a` plurality of additional indicating plates.

4.' An indicator of the character-described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a guide adapted to receive one edge of'a slidable indicating plate, and a friction device provided with resilient lingers for engaging the opposite edge of said plate.

5. An indicator of the character described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a guide adapted to receive one edge of a slidable indicating plate, and a friction device provided with resilient fingers for engaging the opposite edge of said plate, said fingers having flanges for embracing the sides of said plate.

6. An indicator of the character described com risinvr a casin ada ted to contain an illuminating medium, a ont frame ivoted to said casing, a guide carried by saidp frame, adapted to receive an indicating plate, a friction device .also carried by said frame for engaging one edge of said plate, and a pivoted end dooralso carried by said frame.

7. An indicator of the character described comprising a casing ada ted to contain an illuminating medium, sai casing being provided With an upperv extension, a permanent signal plate carried` by said extension, a front frame pivoted to said casing, a guide carried by said frame adapted to recelve a slidable signal plate, and a frictional device also carried by said frame for engaging one edge of said plate.

8 An indicator of the character described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a plurality of guides each adapted to receive one edge of a slidable indicating plate, and a friction device comprising a plate provided with a plurality of guides arranged in pairs, each pair being adapted to engage one edge of each of said ates. p 9. 'An indicator of the character described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a plurality of guides each adapted to receive one edge of a slidable indicating plate, and a friction device comprising a plate provided with a plurality ul resilient tingers arranged in pairs and cooperating With said ui es.

l0. An indicator ot the character described comprising a casing adapted to contain an illuminating medium, a plurality of guides each adapted to receive one edge of a slidable indicating plate, and a friction device comprising a plate provided with a plurality of resilient lingers coperating with said guides, said fingers being each provided with guide flanges.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence .of two Witnesses.

LLOYD M. TINGLEY. Witnesses:

HOWARD E. Bannon',

E. I. OGDEN. 

